Receiver Ike Hilliard said yesterday he is “very, very close” to 100 percent after surgery to repair the dislocated shoulder and torn labrum that cut short his season last year after only seven games.

Hilliard was at Giants Stadium to have his shoulder checked out and also to sign his five-year, $12.5 million contract that many believed he’d never get from the Giants. But just like his physical wounds, the emotional wounds Hilliard carried through the years have faded and he’s thrilled to be back with the team that made him the seventh overall pick in the 1997 draft.

“This is something special we have here,” Hilliard said. “We’re possibly close to getting the big one and I want to taste it again.”

While taking a break from his classes at the University of Miami (what will his former Gators teammates at the University of Florida think of that?), Hilliard last week started catching footballs and the Giants medical staff gave him permission to begin lifting weights.

The Giants have a veteran mini-camp June 2 and Hilliard promised to be ready. His school responsibilities will not allow him to be on hand for the March 24 start of the off-season workout program – that was a point of contention in years past – but Hilliard said he expects no bad blood this time around.

“People say, ‘He can probably play but he can’t stay healthy,’ ” Hilliard said. “I take that personally.”

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The visit of Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas is finally here. He arrived in town last night and was taken to dinner by a Giants contingent that was expected to include Michael Strahan. Douglas will visit with the coaching staff today at Giants Stadium.

It came as no surprise that the Giants yesterday lost starting right guard Jason Whittle, who signed a five-year, $8.2 million deal with the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers that includes a signing bonus of $1.8 million.

Whittle joins the Super Bowl champions (and former Giants Joe Jurevicius, Lomas Brown and Roman Oben) after spending his first five years with the Giants. “I’m sad to leave the Giants, but it’s not like leaving for just any old team,” Whittle said. “I was going nuts the last month. I didn’t really want to leave the Giants. It’s such a class organization.”

The options on the roster to replace Whittle are Tam Hopkins and Omar Smith, although the Giants likely will look to free agency to add a player with experience.

Giants re-signed LB Kevin Lewis, a restricted free agent . . . Jason Sehorn‘s decision-day (accept huge pay-cut or get released) figures to be today . . . Dolphins DE David Bowens canceled his trip to the Giants and re-signed with Miami . . . The Giants preseason game against the Panthers at Giants Stadium has been moved to Friday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. It was originally scheduled for Aug. 16.